Fish elevator



ay J. H. COLEMAN 1'630'169 FISH ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 11. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 what gmc/nld:

Patented May `24, 1927.

UNITED TSTTES? .TOI-IN H. COLEMAN, OF HANFORD, CALIFORNIA.

i :FISH vELEvlrron.l

applicati@ and August y11, 1925. seriino. liet?.

3 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 3-'3 of" Figure 1, and y 'l Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane 'indicated by the line 4 4 of Figure2. y l c f Corresponding and like parts are referred vto in the following description, and designated in the several views of the accompanying drawings, by similar reference '1 characters.

Higher and lower water `levels are formed in riversand creeks by barriers, such as nat-V e vural earth tormations and dams, over which the water flows and which in some instances are so high that` the fish cannot jump from the lower to the higher level. In the drawings there is shown such a barrier, which in this instance consists o'fajdam, andthe application of my invention for carrying the fish over the barrier. i y

In the drawings 1 and 2 designate the embankments ot' a river or creek and 3f a barrier at the opposite sides of which the water is at different levels. In accordance` with my invention a ish weir leader 4 is arranged in the lower level of the body of water, and extends diagonally from the em bankment 1 in the direction of the embankment 2. The weir 4 terminates at some distance `from the embankment 2 and positioned between this end of the weir and this 'embankment is an elevator well or ishpond 5. The weir 4 is made of heavy wire cloth with meshes small enough to prevent fish from passing therethrough. The well 5 is of substantially cylindrical formation, ant` is provided with an entrance 6 and an exit 7. The weir 4 is connected to one side of the entrance 6, and a .guard 8 .extends from the other side of the entrance to the embankment 2,` said Weir and guard serving to fully de? provided.

direct the flish to the entrance .of the well. .fr trough *'9 communicates with the exit 7 of' the well 5 and extends `therefrom to the barrieri. The well 5, guard 8 and trough 9 nu j be made of any material or materials suitable for the purpose, and these parts and the weir 4 may be anchored in the lower level' ot the body oi water in any suitable manner. i y f e An velevator or conveyor 10 extends `upwardlyfrom the trough 9 'to a point above the barrier 3, and comprises a bottom shaft 1l journaled in the sides of the trough 9. a top shaft 12 journaled in bearings supported by pedestals l'anchored in and extending upwardly from the top ot thebarrier 3,

sprocket wheels 14 and 14u fixed to theV shafts 11 and 12, sprocket chains 15 passing about the smaller sprocket wheels 14, sprocket chains 15 passing about4 the larger sprocketwheels .14 and brackets 16 vsecured at their inner sides to the chains 15 `and at their ends to thefchains 15. A belt 17 of canvas or other suitable material passing about drums fixed to thesprocket wheels 14, and a casing or 1u1ne17b extending over theupper end and lateral andQt-op s'ides'of y the elevator,l prevent the tish fromjuinping' from 'therbrackets 16 while ybeing` `carried i from the lower to the higher level of the body of water. The casing 17'? is' preferably made of wire cloth 1f?? liXed to ank angle'iron frame 171. lThe lower end ofthe elevator lOwisV vlocated in close proximity totheex'it 7, .and

located below the upper end thereof isa chute 18 which receives the lislrfrom the buckets 16and `directs them into the higher level of the Ybody, ot water. y

The buckets'16 are each large enough to carry several ish and are provided withperforated bottoms 16a and imper'forate bottoms 16h. Openings 16c are formed in the sides and ends of the buckets 16 between the bottoms 16LL and 16". yThe perforated bottoms 16L are disposed uppermost during the up traveland the impeitorate bottoms 16b uppermost during the down travel of the buckets 16.

To insure passagey of the `Heh from the well 5 into the buckets 16, -a herder 19 is e Y The-herder 19 is located in the well 5, and comprises a hub 20 and blades 21. The hub 2O is flXed to a shaft 22 journaled inthe well 5, and the blades 21 are c made of heavy wire cloth.V and are of subsection. The mesh of the blades 21 is small enough to prevent the passage of fish therethrough. A shaft 23 journaled in bearings 24 is provided with a bevel gear 25 which meshes with a bevel gear Q6 fixed to the shaft 22. A driving connection is established between the shafts 11 and 23 by a sprocket chain Q9 and wheels 30.

As the bottoms 1Ga and the sides and ends of the buckets 1G aie perforated the upper fiight of buckets will while passing through the water fiowing over the barrier 3, offer comparatively little resistance to the movement of the elevator l() and herder 19.

If the flow ot water over the barrier is suflicient the impact thereof against the imperforate bottoms 1G" of the lower flight of buckets 16 will impart motion to the elevator 10 and herder 1S). If the flow of water is not sufficient to operate these parts, an electric or other motor can be employed for this purpose and connected to either of the shafts 11 or 28.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that as the fish advance toward the barrier 3 their passageway becomes nariower and that at the narrowest portion of the passageway is located the well 5. The fish will thus be directed into the well 5 and swept by the herder 19 into the trough 9. The buckets 16 will pick up the fish from the trough 9 and discharge them into the chute 18 by which they are directed into the water beyond the barrier 3.

lt should be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not pretend to give exact proportions. Furthermore, the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

That is claimed is:

1. A device for carrying fish over a barrier, a well provided with an entrance and exit, a weir and guard extending in opposite directions from said ent-rance, a trough communicating with said exit, a herder located in the well, an elevator extending upwardly from the trough and provided with buckets, and a driving connection between the elevator and herder.

2. A device for carrying fish over ay barrier7 comprising an elevator adapted to be operated by the water flowing over the barrier, and means adapted to direct the fish into the elevator.

3. A device for carrying fish over a barrier, comprising an elevator adapted to he operated by the water flowing over the harricr, means for directing fish to the elevator and including a rotatable herder, and means connecting the elevator to the herder to permit the former to rotate the latter,

Ll. A device 'loi carrying fish over a barrier, comprising upper and lower shafts, supporting means .for the shafts, an endless member passing about the shat"'sl buckets secured to the member and provided with perforated and impertorate bottoms. the perforated bottoms of the buckets being disposed uppermost during the up travel of the buckets and the iinperforate bottoms of the buckets being disposed uppermost and in the path of the water flowing over the barrier during the down travel of the buckets, and means for directing fish to the up traveling buckets.

5. A device for carrying fish over a barrier, comprising an elevator provided with buckets, a belt with which the buckets travel. a casing about the elevator and means for directing fish to the elevator. said belt and casing being adapted to prevent the fish from jumping from the buckets while being carried over the barrier.

(i. A device for carrying fish over a barrier, comprising a well located below the top of the barrier and provided with an entrance and an exit7 elevating means extending upwardly from the exit of the well. and means located in the well and adapted to compel the fish to pass therethrough to the elevator.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN H. COLEMAN. 

